The Way The Game Is Played
by LifeOnTheMoon
Summary: Three years after his sister's almost wedding James Potter II remains rather unhappily married. He also can't seem to get the beautiful Ariana Longbottom out of his head, much to his wife's chagrin. Meanwhile Scorpius Malfoy has made some fairly risky choices that might damage his relationship with Rose Weasley forever, not to mention cause him large amounts of humiliation.
1. Chapter 1

Lily Potter was quite happy. Her favourite brother was coming to stay and she wasn't absolutely certain but she was pretty sure her boyfriend of approximately two years Daemon Zabini was going to propose to her tonight. They had been living together for one-and-a-half years now and she was madly in love with him.

James was being extraordinarily mysterious. He had hinted in his last letter that he had some big new to share with the family. Then again James was a drama queen. He had probably just gotten that endorsement from Wickersham's he had wanted so badly.

"Morning," her boyfriend said sleepily, emerging from their bedroom.

"We have to get that blueberry crap that Sophie likes eating," Lily said. "They'll be here soon and I don't want her sighing at my cereal like it's a disappointing child. And we also have to stock up on Butterbeer. The stuff they get in America isn't half as good as the stuff we get here. And-"

"Calm down," Daemon said, cutting her off with a laugh. "Its just James. We can just stick them in the spare room and they'll be fine."

"I'm calm, I'm calm," she said, and moaned as Daemon started massaging her shoulders. "I have so much to do," she complained weakly.

"Well do it later," he said, kissing her neck. His hands made their way to the elastic of her sleep shorts and slowly started pulling them down.

"I really can't," she said, a tad regretfully. "The whole pack's coming tonight. It's going to be chaos."

"You'll be fine," he said, but he moved away from her and put a piece of bread in the toaster.

"Oh I forgot to tell you," Lily said casually. "Lucy's back."

Daemon smiled his normal easygoing smile but there was something slightly strained about it. "That should be fun," he said lightly.

And suddenly Lily Potter wasn't so happy anymore.

* * *

"Do we have to go?" James Potter's beautiful wife whined as she lay in a large fancy bed in an upmarket hotel in the middle of London.

"Soph," he sighed. "I know you don't like Lily, and I have to add by the way, that the feeling is utterly mutual, but she's my sister and we promised. And anyway I haven't seen her in almost a year."

"You write often enough," his wife huffed. "Honestly I thought you were having another affair until I realized that you couldn't possibly be in a relationship that long because you're a shit."

"This is why my sister doesn't like you," James said sardonically.

"Your whole family doesn't like me," Sophie said. "And you know I don't understand why we have to go to that grubby pub first."

"Oh I'm sorry," James said sarcastically. "Would her highness rather get a carriage with Thestrals? And we have to floo there because Lily has wards around her house."

"Don't talk bullshit," Sophie said harshly. "You just want to see your virgin again."

"I don't know what you're talking about," James said in a rather dangerous tone.

But Sophie's almost pathological jealousy of Ariana Longbottom rather got the better of her and she ignored the warning signs.

"Do you think I haven't seen the letters?" she asked. "The torn up notes scattered around the place. The ones you never send. Oh Ariana you're all I think about," she mocked, with a laugh that was entirely without mirth.

"Shut up," James growled grabbing her shoulders and almost shaking her.

"I should've left you ages ago," Sophie said, her eyes cold.

"But you love my bank balance far too much," James said cruelly.

"That's entirely true," Sophie said and moved away from his.

But it wasn't really. Sophie Potter loved her husband. It was an odd sort of love. It involved a lot of screaming but it also meant brilliant makeup sex. They had been married for almost four years now and they still couldn't get enough of each other. Unfortunately they couldn't get enough of other people either.

James Potter had been raised on adulation and hero worship. His baby sister adored him and before his brother had become a sulky teenager who loathed his family, he had followed James around telling people proudly that he wanted to be a Quidditch player when he grew up because that was what his big brother wanted to be. It didn't help either that James was able to attract girls with very little effort. He screwed his way through most of Hogwarts, still managing to be universally loved. This was probably because all his ex-girlfriends wanted to stay friends with him because he was so much fun to be around.

Nothing had changed when he left school. Still able to attract women effortlessly he had set his sights on the beautiful Sophie Marks, who seemed all the more alluring because she was utterly unobtainable. At first not at all interested in James, whom she regarded as being a lightweight living off his parents' fame. He eventually wore her down into agreeing to go on a date with him.

She quickly realized that James was one of the most genuinely nice people she had ever met and to her utter horror found herself falling in love with him. So naturally she did exactly what any girl in her situation would do, pretended she didn't care about him.

But that didn't work for too long, and after about six months of knowing each other, they had a quickie wedding in a seedy chapel. Unfortunately this really didn't endear Sophie to James's family all of whom had traditional wizard weddings. Sophie could not stand James's mother, who she privately thought James had an utterly codependent relationship with.

Four years down the line they were still screwing like stoats but pretty much out of love with each other. Sophie didn't want to leave him though. If she was being perfectly honest she was a little scared of life without James.

* * *

Although they technically still hadn't moved in together, Rose invariably ended up spending most of her nights at Scorpius's house. Thankfully her annoying cousin Albus had moved out ages ago so they could now do whatever they wanted.

This morning however Scorpius awoke to an empty bed. There was a note from Rose saying she had gone out and would see him at dinner. He sighed. He knew she was mad at him. Well mad wasn't exactly the right word. More like worried for him. And when Rose was worried for someone she usually got mad at them. He knew he was going to have to break the news to the family over dinner. As much as he loved Rose's family, they were an intimidating bunch who probably wouldn't appreciate the guaranteed onslaught of the press. Fucking hell, this was looking like less and less of a good plan.

* * *

**a/n: So this is set three years after This Ain't A Scene. It's going to mostly be about James Potter II and Rose and Scorpius. I hope you like it :) **


	2. Chapter 2

Daemon and Lily had bought a house with a garden because they knew they would never find a house that was big enough (well on their budget) to host a Weasley family dinner inside. Lily and Daemon had cooked up a storm. The tables were laden with food and Lily felt quite satisfied.

James Flooed in through the fireplace, a little annoyed because Ariana Longbottom hadn't been at the Leaky Cauldron. It had been a long shot though, he supposed.

"James!" Lily yelled hugging him.

"Hey Sophie," Daemon said kissing Sophie on the cheek.

"I've missed you so much," Lily said, not letting go of her brother. "You have to come home more. It's ridiculous. You get two whole months off when it isn't Quidditch season."

Sophie, who knew that comment was directed more towards her than it was to James, reddened. "But that just makes you coming here all the more special," Daemon said kindly, feeling a little sorry for Sophie.

"Well when are the rest of the brood coming?" Sophie asked, forcing herself to seem interested.

"Should be here now," Lily said. She knew it was horrible but she drew some satisfaction from the fact that Sophie and James didn't seem to be on the best terms. He was avoiding her gaze, which was both reproachful and vaguely annoyed.

"You can put your bags upstairs," Daemon said.

"Trouble in paradise," Lily said to Daemon when they were alone.

"Don't sound so happy," he answered reprovingly.

Scorpius flooed in. He looked rather harried.

"Is Rose here yet?" he asked before even saying hello.

"Not yet," Daemon said. "No one's come yet. Just James and Sophie."

"Okay," Scorpius said, and immediately made a beeline for the alcohol.

"Slow down sailor," Lily said. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, nothing," he said unconvincingly. "I'll explain later. I need Rose."

And suddenly Lily felt an odd pang in her chest. The way he said he needed Rose, though he probably didn't mean it that way, it sounded like he really _needed _Rose. Daemon never needed her that way.

"She'll be here soon," Lily said.

Slowly the whole Weasley clan trickled in.

Fred immediately let off a firework in celebration of James' return, much to Lily's horror.

"You two are twenty-eight years old," Lily stormed. "You aren't allowed to destroy my house."

Fred was accompanied by one of his many girlfriends. She was a pretty brunette with large, blue, slightly vacant looking eyes.

When Rose arrived Lily decided that it was time to serve dinner. Everybody moved out into the garden and Rose sat next to Scorpius and held his hand tightly.

Albus noticed how his best friend sort of relaxed when Rose was around. He didn't get that. Rose made most people incredibly tense. He was sort of tense now. His sister-in-law had obviously had a falling out with his brother because she was rubbing her leg against his in a most unplatonic way. Sleeping with her three years ago had been a terrible idea. Even worse had been sleeping with her about a year ago. And that little slip up two months ago had probably been the most terrible by far.

Not that the experiences themselves had been bad. Apart from the first one, which he barely remembered they had by and large been pretty good. Incredibly good he thought guiltily. No it wasn't the sex that was terrible; it was the overwhelming guilt he felt after every time. The last time he hadn't even bothered to go see his brother. He had just screwed his brother's wife. You really know how to pick 'em, Al thought to himself wryly. His last serious relationship had been with a woman nearly seven years older than him and his boss to boot.

"You said you had something to tell everyone," Lily said, poking James in the shoulder.

"I was just waiting for Lucy," he explained.

He noticed how his almost brother-in-law stiffened at that name.

"She probably isn't coming," Lily said, also noticing her boyfriend's reaction and feeling a little queasy.

"I'm here, I'm here," a deep, gruff sort of voice said. And almost unconsciously Daemon smiled.

Lucy sat down next to Louis and smiled at everyone.

"Sorry about my lateness," she said. "Flight was delayed."

It had been nearly two years since Daemon had last seen Lucy and she looked just as beautiful. Her wide smile was still incredibly generous and her presence was both comforting and painful all at the same time.

"Good, now everyone's here I can tell you my news," James said brightly.

"Is it good news Jimmy?" Dominique asked, already a little drunk.

James scowled at her. He hated being called Jimmy.

"Well that depends on how much you like my darling husband," Sophie said, her tone indicating in no uncertain terms that she was in fact not too fond of him.

"We're coming back," James said simply.

"Back here?" his mother asked, overjoyed. "For good?"

"For the next two seasons at least," James said. "The Nifflers signed me over to Puddlemere. I'm coming home."

"That's brilliant," Lily shouted, jumping up to hug him.

This family was always so enthusiastic Sophie thought, a tad bitterly. Now Fred was giving James a detailed list of all the possible places he could stay in London. Of course all of them were within walking distance of Fred's house. Not that it mattered. No doubt Fred would set up James' Floo Network to ensure that it was well connected to every single Weasley house.

"Scorpius has to tell everyone something too," Rose said. She was uncharacteristically subdued today.

"More good news?" her mother asked hopefully. She was very fond of Scorpius and would have absolutely no problems if he announced his engagement to her daughter tonight.

"It depends," Scorpius said. "Remember a couple of years ago you told me that if I wanted things to change I had to do something about it?"

"Vaguely," Hermione said. "But you've done an excellent job. You and Albus. I'm so proud of you two."

Scorpius smiled. About two years ago he had set up a law firm with Albus. Potter and Malfoy Associates. It had been wildly successful only hampered by their constant run-ins with the Ministry.

"Thank you," he said. "But that isn't enough. I want to make a difference. Make this world a better place. Protect people who can't protect themselves." There was an odd look in his eyes. If it had been anyone else the words coming out of his mouth would've sounded ridiculous. But because of the utter conviction in his tone they became almost inspiring.

"Merlin," Al said, desperately trying to ignore the hand that was inching it's way up his thigh. "You sound like you're campaigning for Minister."

"I am," Scorpius said. "I sent in my nomination yesterday and Wizengamot accepted it."

There was a stunned silence all around the table and then slowly everybody started to clap.

"Good on you mate," Fred said thumping Scorpius on the shoulder. "We need blokes like you in the Ministry."

"Thanks," Scorpius said, fairly surprised at the response of the family. "Are you sure it's alright though? I mean as it is the press harass you. It'll be ten times worse now because I'm with Rose."

"Nothing we can't take," Ron said. "You don't know harassment until you meet Rita Skeeter. Remember her Harry?"

"How could I forget?" Harry said, amusedly. "Hermione put her in a jar."

"You put a journalist in a jar Mum?" Hugo asked, impressed and a little scared.

Hermione Granger just smiled mischievously. "There's a lot you don't know about me," she said.

"So who's your campaign manager?" Lucy asked.

"Off the record Luce," Scorpius said. "I really don't want any of this leaked."

"Buzzkill," she said. "I could give you excellent press."

"You had better," Scorpius said with a laugh that was mostly just sheer relief. No one was angry, everyone seemed proud.

"You need a team," Hermione said. She was privately almost as happy about Scorpius running for Minister as she was about him potentially marrying her daughter, but she knew it was a long shot. The Malfoys weren't favourites in the wizarding community. Not to mention the fact that before he met her daughter he had been a hot favourite with the tabloids and gossip columnists.

"I know," he said.

"And it has to be a good one," Hermione warned. "Right now you're an outsider in this race. The only good thing for you is that the current sitting Minister has made such a colossal fuck up of his job you might be in with a chance. You have to really want this Scorpius because there's no way you'll get it otherwise."

"I really want it," he said determinedly.

His girlfriend's mother smiled. "Good," she said. "Now all of us will campaign too. We have plenty of political capital here and we're going to use it. Ron and Harry should probably work outside London. People there have longer memories than the ones in the city. The Wizarding Wars are just stories to those children. James being a Quidditch player will probably be more use there. Especially now he's moving back. Fred could probably help him out. Bill, you have contacts with the werewolves and shapeshifters right? We have to bill Scorpius as the candidate who wants to help change their status. They just got enfranchised. That's a massive vote bank, which the Minister will no doubt ignore. Especially after he fought tooth and nail to deny them rights."

She suddenly noticed everyone watching her with their eyes wide open and their mouths slightly ajar.

"What?" she asked, self-consciously.

"You're scary you know that," her husband said. "Brilliant. But scary."

* * *

**a/n: So I hope you liked it. Tell me what you thinkk :) **


	3. Chapter 3

Daemon wasn't going to ask her to marry him, Lily thought miserably. He had been sneaking looks at Lucy the whole dinner. She wondered if she would have the courage to end it. Merlin's balls, why couldn't Lucy have stayed in fucking Uganda or wherever the hell she was, researching starving underprivileged African werewolf babies.

At least James was coming home. Unfortunately his awful wife was there too. She had been so sure that they would break up ages ago. At her almost-wedding it had seemed like James had been desperately in love with her best friend. Though now that she thought about it she didn't think James would be particularly good for Ariana. As much as she loved her brother, she knew he was a raging manwhore and had never been faithful to anyone in his life. And Ariana needed someone dependable and sensible. Two things that James was most certainly not.

Lost in her thoughts she hadn't realized that almost everyone had finished eating.

"Lily," her Gran said, snapping her fingers in front of her face. "We're going to start cleaning up."

"Coming coming," Lily said jumping up.

* * *

"Hey," someone said softly into Lucy's ear.

Lucy forced herself to turn around and smile and the beautiful boy behind her, even though what she really wanted to do was cry a little because even after almost three years he still had the ability to make her weak in the knees.

"Hey yourself," she said, trying to make her tone as light as possible.

"So how was Africa?" he asked conversationally.

"It was really good," she said. "I learnt a lot there."

"I've missed you," Daemon said. The words slipped out of his mouth almost unconsciously.

"I've missed you too," she said. There was a veritable storm raging underneath her calm exterior

"Why did you leave?" he asked. "You were there one day and gone the next. You didn't answer my letters even though you promised we would stay friends."

"I thought I should give you space," Lucy said. "I didn't think it was right-"

"Didn't think it was right to break up with me and then fuck off to Merlin only knows where?" Daemon asked.

"Well you weren't objecting so much when I ended things," Lucy said, suddenly fired up. "You said and I quote 'It's for the best. I was going to do it anyway.' And when I suggested we stay friends you shrugged noncommittally."

"You were breaking up with me," he said, almost angrily. "I was trying to save face."

"You were acting like a twelve year old," she said coldly.

"And you were being clichéd," he said. "What was I supposed to do?"

"I wasn't being clichéd," Lucy said, stung. "I was being truthful. It _was_ me, not you."

Daemon let out something that was somewhere in between a grunt and a snort.

"I was clingy, paranoid and I generally made your life miserable. I didn't like myself by the end of it," Lucy said. "And you ignored me for the last month of our extremely short relationship."

"Well you were right about the paranoia thing," Daemon said sourly.

"Oh please," Lucy said. "Nothing was quite right after Christmas. You couldn't look me in the eye. I still don't know why."

"I was falling in love with you," Daemon said slowly. "And then you ended it."

"I ended it because I felt horrible about myself all the time," Lucy said. "I wasn't sure if I was being an inconvenience or-"

"You could never be an inconvenience," Daemon said lowly.

"I'm so sorry," she said. "It never could've worked."

"If you're all done," Lily said acidly, unexpectedly interrupting their rather intense conversation.

"Sorry," Lucy said, and with an anguished look, walked away.

"I thought you were going to ask me to marry you tonight," Lily said. Her brown eyes shone with such vulnerability Daemon felt incredibly guilty.

"I was thinking about it," he admitted.

"Not anymore though right?" she asked, almost afraid of the answer.

"I'm sorry," Daemon said. "I do love you. I really do."

"Do you still want to be with me?" Lily asked.

"I don't know," he said truthfully. "Do you still want to be with me?"

And although Lily knew he might possibly be in love with her cousin and that she was most definitely second choice, it didn't matter to her. Because second choice is better than not even an option.

"Lucy'll be back in Rwanda in a week," she said, not answering the question.

"Is that a yes?" Daemon asked.

"It's a yes," Lily said. "Unfortunately I think it's an always."

She walked away. She had this odd feeling in her stomach. One that was very hard to describe.

* * *

"I'll be around a whole lot more now," Sophie murmured to Albus. They were both standing in the kitchen doing the dishes the Muggle way (much to Sophie's disgust) because Lily said magic ruined them.

Al felt both terrified and oddly happy. Sophie was so incredibly sexy but also so incredibly married.

"That's good," he said, striving to keep his tone neutral when really all he wanted to do at this moment was take his sister-in-law's clothes off.

"We're going to be living in London," she said, her voice husky. "Come visit sometime."

And then, despite his resolve not to have anything to do with her, especially now that she was living in such close quarters, he asked, "Like tonight?"

"Thought you'd never ask," Sophie said, her smile wicked.

"You're beautiful," Albus said, almost involuntarily.

"I know," she replied. She kissed him on the cheek and went back to wiping the large plate that had held dessert. But Al had other, far less innocent ideas. He held her wrist and pulled her towards him. She giggled delightedly and briefly thought that life would've been far easier if she had met this Potter brother first.

"So impatient," she said as he hungrily pressed his lips to her neck.

"Shut up," he practically growled.

"We can apparate out of here and be back before anyone even notices we're gone," she said.

"You have remarkably little faith in my ability to hold out don't you," Albus said wryly.

"No one has the ability to hold out when it comes to me," Sophie said smugly and then gasped as Al's hands found their way under her shirt.

"We had better leave before someone finds us having sex in your sister's kitchen," she said.

He sort of grunted in agreement and they apparated out of the kitchen seemingly inextricably entwined in one another.

* * *

**a/n: Sorry this has been a while coming. Well not too long but longer than usual. I'm thinking of adding Lily and Albus as characters too but I wonder if that might be a bit too much to write about. Anyway I hope you like it. Please tell me what you think :) **


	4. Chapter 4

Rose had been awake for almost twenty minutes. She would ordinarily have started the day off with a bang. Not figuratively. Literally. Rose liked lazy morning sex. Of course there was a lot less of an opportunity for that, now that she had dumped her modeling career and was killing herself in Healer training. But today was her Sunday off and it was also the day of the formal announcement of Scorpius' candidacy.

She had been against the idea from the start. Having grown up (albeit unwillingly) in the Potter/Weasley family she knew from a very early age what it was like to live in the public eye. But until very recently it hadn't really bothered her all that much. She enjoyed the attention of the press. It gave her a buzz and it royally pissed her mother off. And there was nothing Rose liked more than annoying her mother. She had settled down as of late though. Apparently pictures of one on a table dripping in champagne and pressing oneself onto a random boy weren't conducive to a relationship. Scorpius pretended not to care but Rose knew him well enough to know that he was annoyed.

She hated to admit it but that was a little bit of a turn on. Angry Scorpius was almost sexier than calm Scorpius. And at least that meant he cared. Rose was a little bit scared about how much she cared about him. And more than a little bit scared about how she desperately wanted his approval and affection. The thing about Scorpius though was that he wasn't very demonstrative. The closest to being demonstrative he had ever gotten to was when he showed up at her cousin's wedding and declared his love (which granted was quite a public demonstration). But he was just so closed off somehow. And even though she knew he cared about her, she wouldn't mind it at all if he said he loved her once in a while. Or ever.

"Up you get," Rose said, whacking a sleeping Scorpius in the chest.

He grunted and turned over.

"Well I am not the one trying to run for Minister," Rose said tartly. "So get up Malfoy."

"Malfoy?" Scorpius mumbled. "Are you mad at me?"

"Get up," Rose said. "I'll be in the shower."

"Wait," he said blearily. "I want to join you."

"Not today," Rose said, tapping the watch on his wrist. "You have a date with the press that you do not want to be late for."

Scorpius groaned. "Hate the bastards."

"Well after that incident with the cameraman at Henly's they don't like you very much either," Rose said.

"Okay I'll start making breakfast while you shower," Scorpius said. "Merlin, we really need to move into a house with two bathrooms."

Rose didn't even realize he had asked her to move in with him until halfway through her shower. And even then she wasn't so cure if that's what he meant. Merlin's balls, she cursed. Why did she have to fall in love with such an unreadable bastard?

Scorpius tried to hide a smile when Rose came out of the shower, still dripping wet with a towel wrapped hastily around her.

"When you said we had to move," she said very slowly. "Do you mean-?"

"Well we practically live together now anyway," Scorpius said. "Wouldn't it be more convenient?"

"Are you asking me to move in with you Scorpius?" Rose asked seriously.

"Do you want to?" he asked.

Rose just nodded her head and let the towel fall off her.

"Well I think this deserves a bit of a celebration. Don't you?" she asked teasingly.

Scorpius just nodded his head. This was turning out to be an excellent morning.

* * *

Albus on the other hand was having a less than stellar morning. Sophie had been largely accurate in her predictions last night. No one had even noticed they were gone. They went back to Lily's house and he made small talk with the rest of his family feeling rather disgusted with himself. Sophie was in her element though. Albus didn't understand her and honestly he didn't want to. What he needed to do was stay far away from her. And from his brother because he couldn't look James in the eye anymore. And even though James wasn't exactly the sharpest tool in the shed, he wasn't an idiot either. He would catch on soon enough. Not that it mattered anyway Albus supposed. After all he and James weren't exactly the closest. But he also knew that sleeping with James' wife was wrong. But Al never made good choices.

James knew something was wrong. He couldn't exactly put his finger on what but something was definitely off. His wife who had complained nonstop about moving here was suddenly acting far too happy. She had even kissed him good night. And then she just went to sleep. He pulled her towards him, moving his hands up her rather unnecessarily lacy nightwear but she just shook her head.

"Not tonight," she said.

This wasn't something James was used to. It was usually a whole lot of fighting before bed and then mind-blowing sex. It was never a kiss and then sleep. He had known Sophie for a very long time now and she still remained an enigma.

He realized that he was utterly unable to sleep. He rolled out of bed and walked over to the fireplace.

"Leaky Cauldron," he said, throwing a handful of floo powder into the fire.

The bar was definitely closed. The only person there was the slightly insane and fast asleep Caiphus Flatly, the old barman.

"Caiphus," James said, shaking him. "Wake up."

"Dementors!" Caiphus shouted suddenly sitting up straight with his eyes wide open.

"No," James said patiently. "It's me, James."

"Morgan?" Caiphus asked, putting his glasses on and squinting in James' direction.

James groaned internally. He had hoped his old Herbology teacher would be here instead. Talking to Caiphus was akin to hitting one's head against a wall.

"Potter," James said. "James Potter. I sat at the bar and drank most of your liquor when I was between the ages of eighteen and twenty-four.

"Ah," Caiphus said, grinning widely, displaying his many missing teeth. "James Morgan. Of course I remember you."

James sighed.

"This might seem a little but strange," James said, trying a different tack. "But I'm trying to get in touch with Ariana. Do you know where she stays?"

James determinedly ignored the fact that what he was doing may or may not have been borderline stalking.

Caiphus eyes narrowed. "Why do you want to know," he said, sounding more dangerous than crazy now.

"I want to- Oh it doesn't matter," James said, mentally punching himself in the face. This had been a bad idea from the get-go

* * *

**a/n: Sorry for the lateness. And the time jumps in the story. I usually don't like time jumps but I suppose following different characters mean time jumps are an unfortunate side effect. Anyway I hope you like this chapterr. I shall try and be better about updates. Please tell me what you think :) **


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